The ongoing Mpox outbreak in Nigeria has escalated, with confirmed cases now reported across 63 local government areas (LGAs). Cross River and Lagos states are currently at the forefront of this public health challenge, with Cross River reporting a total of 11 confirmed cases and Lagos following closely with 10 cases.
Recent confirmations from the Cross River State Epidemiologist, Mrs. Inyang Ekpenyong, indicate that two new cases were identified in the Calabar Municipality LGA.
This follows an earlier case confirmed in Okoshe, Obudu LGA. The state’s Rapid Response Team has been mobilized for contact tracing and monitoring, while an urgent appeal for financial resources has been made to support necessary response activities.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been actively monitoring the situation. As of mid-September, a total of 67 Mpox cases were reported nationwide from over 1,000 suspected cases across 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The NCDC Director General, Jide Idris, highlighted that the disease is primarily spreading through close contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.
Mpox is a rare infectious disease caused by the Mpox virus, which is typically found in certain animal species. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash that can lead to further transmission through skin-to-skin contact.